CAVA — Restaurant in San Carlos Park

I am feeling generous with 3 stars. It could easily be two. I'll start with the food I had. The spicy chicken and avocado pita was good. I would not say great, but probably very good. It could have used a bit more acid. It was a bit oily, but that might have been the harissa sauce. The ingredients could have been blended better, but the taste was nice. That's where the positives really end for me, other than the fact that the place was mostly clean (more on that later). It sure better have been clean, since it was totally empty at late lunch time and there wasn't really anywhere to hide.

The restaurant concept is confused. Is this Chipotle/Moes where they make your meal in front of you, or do you order off the menu and it comes like they say it comes? There is a big window into the back kitchen that appeared abandoned/unused. The concept needs work and clarity, especially for first time diners. As a first time diner, it would have been nice to have some staff that recognized that and cared. That brings me to the next issue.

I didn't know where to order. Clearly I was confused. The closest person behind the counter was ambivalent about my presence, did not address me, and just stood there, playing around with a spoon in a vat of rice. It's almost as if she was nervous. Keep in mind I'm the only customer in the place at this time. Someone else had to come along and explain to me that I was supposed to order with the disengaged person "over there."

So I quickly ordered the pita and moved to the right to the register, not realizing that this person was going to ask me some questions. I shuffled back to the left and she asked if I wanted it as it comes. I said yes, which caused her to look back at the menu board to figure out the ingredients! My pita was clumsily assembled, and I'm assuming assuming it was prepared with the right ingredients, but it was not assembled with confidence. Clearly training is an issue here. Maybe she should have used that time standing around while not addressing me to learn the menu. Absent that self-motivation, a manager should be standing over employee's shoulders until orders are completed with complete confidence.

I almost never talk about price in reviews, but I am inclined to mention that this place looks and acts like a fast food restaurant, and it is fast, but the prices are more like a table service restaurant. I think that might be because of the portions. My 1000+ calorie pita was a bit ridiculous as far as a single human lunch portion goes. It should have been 2/3 the size and 3/4 the price in my opinion. I did not study the rest of the menu, but there did not appear to be any real lighter portions available. That's counterintuitive for a restaurant that talks quite a bit about healthy eating. Time to pay...

The credit card machine was caked with fingerprints and greasy disgusting food particles. I was able to tap to pay without touching it. One other positive, I suppose, is the machine does not ask for a gratuity and they do not have a big tip jar cluttering the counter. In fact, I don't think they take gratuities, which is the appropriate thing for a fast food place of this type. So I guess that's another positive.

I would not sit in the restaurant to eat. The chairs and tables do not look comfortable and are not inviting. Clean, yes. Appealing, no.

There is something that makes me think there is a chance I could return. The third star was generous for this visit, but I could be a solid 3 or possibly even a 4-star place. Something would have to drastically change with the concept and training for me to give it a 5. The pita was satisfying. It wasn't something I will be craving, but it got the job done. I think the ingredients have good quality overall. There is hope here, but it won't be at the top of my list to recommend...

Cava Food Review: A Tale of Two Falafels

Yesterday (Thursday), I ordered online from Cava and spent $27.21 on a Falafel Crunch bowl, a Crispy Falafel wrap, and a Cucumber Mint Lime drink. My experience? Mostly amazing—until today.

Thursday’s Experience: A Flavor Explosion

The Crispy Falafel wrap was absolutely delicious! The flavors were on point, and it wasn’t some tiny, disappointing wrap—it had weight, balance, and depth. I ate 2/3 of it immediately and saved the Falafel Crunch bowl for dinner. And let me tell you—that bowl was ah-mazing! Packed with fresh veggies, lentils, and vibrant flavors, it was beautifully made and had my taste buds popping. It was so good that I broke my own rule and decided to go back today (Friday) to get it again.

Friday’s Experience: A Letdown

I ordered the same Falafel Crunch bowl online, expecting the same experience. My pickup time was 12:30 PM, but when I arrived, my food was nowhere to be found. Instead, there was a long line of people waiting, and when I tried to ask the cashier about my order, she cut me off mid-sentence. I get it—stress is real, and I don’t blame her, but it made me think: If the front is this overwhelmed, the back must be too. And I believe in energy—mad, rushed energy in the kitchen means mad, rushed food.

And I was right.

This bowl was not the same even after receiving it at 12:55pm. The lettuce was yellow, there were hardly any Brussels sprouts, and overall, it wasn’t fresh. It was nothing like yesterday’s masterpiece. I was hoping to send my daughter some next Friday, but now? I’m reconsidering.

Final Thoughts

Thursday's Falafel Crunch & Wrap: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Incredible! Fresh, flavorful, and worth every penny.)

Friday's Falafel Crunch: ⭐⭐ (Disappointing. Rushed, poorly made, and lacking in freshness.)

Service: ⭐⭐ (Overwhelmed staff, long wait, and lack of communication.)

I want to love Cava, but consistency is key, and unfortunately, today's experience was a miss. Hopefully, next time, they bring back the magic of...

Today's experience threw me through a loop. I ordered food at 12:20 PM to be picked up by 12:45 PM. My food did not arrive in my hands until 1:15. The restaurant was very obviously busy, so I never approached the counter asking about my food. I patiently waited for my name to be called. I did not want to create more stress.

However, when I received my food, the order was wrong. I specified that I wanted my dressing on the side. Only one bowl was made correctly. I very kindly asked the woman dealing with takeout to please remake the food. She agreed.

My experience was completely ruined when a different employee returned with the bowl I had just given back to them. She insisted that I had the order wrong and kept showing me the ticket. I had to ask again for my food to be remade because I remembered placing my order.

After waiting 45 extra minutes (1:15 PM), this woman told me she would remake it, but I would have to wait behind all the orders currently in their system. After displaying dissatisfaction, I asked for my money back. Her response was to call corporate because there was nothing she could do (or there was nothing she wanted to do). In no way shape or form do I feel like she wanted to help me. She seemed like she just wanted to prove me wrong.

I did tell her this was bullish*t and I would wait for my food because what other choice did I have?

I guess I complained loud enough, or they realized they fuc*ed up because my bowl was brought back in the next five minutes without a word.

The food here is great, and the front of the house was amazing. They really should train their Back of House employees how to speak to customers under stress because they still do end up interacting with us.

I do not recommend this specific location and this...